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Litigation, Other Commitments and Contingencies, and Disclosures about Guarantees, Disclosures about Guarantees (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Apr. 29, 2011
Feb. 28, 2010
Feb. 23, 2010
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]          
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted $ 6,225,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure        
Lignite Mining Agreement Guarantee [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]          
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]          
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted 69,300,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_LigniteMiningAgreementGuaranteeMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
       
On-balance sheet guarantees, expected termination dates [Abstract]          
Current amount of liability 3,800,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_LigniteMiningAgreementGuaranteeMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
       
Acadia Unit 2 Transaction [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States for Performance Obligations of Perryville [Member]          
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]          
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted 298,800,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit2TransactionMember
       
Acadia Unit 2 Transaction [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Cleco Power on behalf of Acadia [Member]          
Disclosures about Guarantees [Abstract]          
Fair value of indemnification liability recorded 0us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit2TransactionMember
  21,800,000us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit2TransactionMember
   
Income from contractual expiration of indemnification 900,000cnl_IncomeFromContractualExpirationOfIndemnification
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit2TransactionMember
6,900,000cnl_IncomeFromContractualExpirationOfIndemnification
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit2TransactionMember
     
2004 sale of Perryville facility [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States for Performance Obligations of Perryville [Member]          
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]          
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted 42,400,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_A2004saleofPerryvillefacilityMember
       
Acadia Unit 1 Transaction [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Cleco Power on behalf of Acadia [Member]          
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]          
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted       10,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit1TransactionMember
 
Disclosures about Guarantees [Abstract]          
Fair value of indemnification liability recorded   0us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit1TransactionMember
    13,500,000us-gaap_GuaranteesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit1TransactionMember
Income from contractual expiration of indemnification   400,000cnl_IncomeFromContractualExpirationOfIndemnification
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit1TransactionMember
     
Acadia Unit 1 Transaction [Member] | Cleco Power [Member] | Guarantee Issued to Cleco Power on behalf of Acadia [Member]          
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]          
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted       30,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
/ cnl_GuarantorObligationsTransactionOriginAxis
= cnl_AcadiaUnit1TransactionMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
 
On-balance sheet guarantees [Member]          
Off-balance sheet commitments, expected termination dates [Abstract]          
Total 3,781,000us-gaap_OtherCommitment
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OnbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
LESS THAN ONE YEAR 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OnbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
1-3 YEARS 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInSecondAndThirdYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OnbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
3-5 YEARS 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInFourthAndFifthYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OnbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
MORE THAN 5 YEARS 3,781,000us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueAfterFifthYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OnbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
Off-balance sheet commitments [Member]          
Off-balance sheet commitments, expected termination dates [Abstract]          
Total 6,225,000us-gaap_OtherCommitment
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentsMember
       
LESS THAN ONE YEAR 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentsMember
       
1-3 YEARS 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInSecondAndThirdYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentsMember
       
3-5 YEARS 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInFourthAndFifthYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentsMember
       
MORE THAN 5 YEARS 6,225,000us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueAfterFifthYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentsMember
       
Off-balance sheet commitment and on-balance sheet guarantees [Member]          
Off-balance sheet commitments, expected termination dates [Abstract]          
Total 10,006,000us-gaap_OtherCommitment
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentandonbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
LESS THAN ONE YEAR 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentandonbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
1-3 YEARS 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInSecondAndThirdYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentandonbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
3-5 YEARS 0us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInFourthAndFifthYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentandonbalancesheetguaranteesMember
       
MORE THAN 5 YEARS $ 10,006,000us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueAfterFifthYear
/ us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis
= cnl_OffbalancesheetcommitmentandonbalancesheetguaranteesMember